Goddess of Self Centeredness
by YunCyn
Summary: Jiroushin remembers and reflects on his master. An anecdote of sorts, somewhat in defense of Kanzeon Bosatsu. 1shot, OOC warning.


_Disclaimer: Saiyuki Gaiden and Gensomaden Saiyuki belong to Kazuya Minekura. In no way do I claim any ownership over her characters and storylines. Warning for OOC-ness._

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**Goddess of Self-Centeredness, Narcissism & Total Self Absorption**

The sun shines brightly every hour of the day here. The sweet scents of so many flowers drifting through the air could make one choke. But the perfumes are all subtle and pleasing so no one minds. Here, the grass is never tainted and the air fresh and light, free of smog and smoke. Ancient and knotted trees as well as young shoots grow freely across the plains, giving shade when one is too tired of the sun. But no one really tires of the rays the sun emits. 

There is no time here. Clocks, watches… they are mere faces with numbers here. There is no point in counting the days and hours when you know everything will last forever. Even if the days turned to nights, time never entered and neither did death. There was no threat to their existence, everything would continue the way it was. 

Or at least, that was what most of them thought. 

No one but the upper ranks of the courts and military knew what three gods had almost done. What had almost been lost. What was supposed to be forever had almost been destroyed.

Save for a select minority, no one knew Heaven had nearly been eliminated.

Jiroushin quietly walked along a path, brushing past other immortals, all going about their lives and jobs. Gossip and rumours flew invisibly through the air, poisoning minds and changing perspectives. Even suspicion and dishonestly could exist here, in never dying Tenkai. 

The servant walked along, his ears blocked to the murmured gossips of who was punished this week or who had been caught with whom. Long ago, he had learned it was never wise to listen too much. Otherwise, you KNEW too much. And when you worked for Kanzeon Bosatsu, Goddess Of Mercy, knowing too much proved to be dangerous. Unless of course, you were Kanzeon herself. Then and only then could you know too much just because you had to. 

A wry smile on his face, he often wondered why the only one who took a direct interest in the matters of humanity besides Tentei who only watched and waited, was his master/mistress. Often deaf to rumours as proven earlier, Jiroushin couldn't help but silently agree that had there been a 'goddess of self centeredness, narcissism, and total self absorption', Kanzeon would have been chosen even before the universe could finish saying the title.

Which begged the seemingly unanswerable question as to HOW she could become Goddess of Mercy. 

Had Jiroushin wanted to say anything, he would have answered that difficult query by relating stories of the small and silent but needed things his mistress had done while everyone else was too busy or not bothered to see to it. 

After all, who was it that had told the the upper ranks that had run around headless chickens screaming and panicking, to just watch and wait? She had been confident of course that a certain party of four men would accomplish what needed to be done where it was needed to be done. Jiroushin remembered asking what she would have done if Sanzo-ikkou _hadn't _been able to stop Homura.

She had shrugged and carelessly replied, "I don't know."

The face fault had given him a huge bruise on his head for a whole month. Of course, through the knowing glint in Kanzeon's eyes, Jiroushin knew dang well that he had asked a pretty dumb question. She had _known _they would be able to stop the kami...right?

How well he also knew, he recalled as he continued his walk to Kanzeon's quarters, that there had been other incidents which Kanzeon had specifically told him to forget for the sake of maintaining her reputation of her sharp tongue and her uncaring about anything or anyone. Of course, Jiroushin understood though he did wonder why on earth one would want to gain such a notorious reputation when one's title was clearly "Goddess of Mercy". But still, he did what was instructed with quiet acceptance.

Which was far beyond from what her nephew, the infamous blonde and violent god, Konzen Douji did. The kami had gained enormous reputation for a wide variety of adjectives when it came to his aunt. In fact, even when he was a child, he had protested against authority over him.

Konzen-sama.

Jiroushin grinned to himself. How well he remember the day Konzen-sama had arrived. So unexpected and so sudden had that arrival been.

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Jiroushin looked up to the sky and smiled. Another peaceful day. 

Well, it was always peaceful but still, Jiroushin had learned to pretend that every day was new. Otherwise he'd be as bored as his mistress said. Stepping out into the corridor, Jiroushin hurried along the marble floor. He stopped for a moment at the vast lotus pond from where Gekai could be watched to breathe in the scent of lotus. His smile widening, he hurried on, his mind running through the daily errands that the day demanded from him. 

It was afternoon by the time he was done with his chores. Deciding to take a rest and enjoy the scenery outside Kanzeon's place, Jiroushin opened the main doors and took a step outside.

Only to tread on something soft, warm and wailing.

_Wailing?_He looked down.

To see a babe, not three months old (or rather in Gekai, he would have looked like he was three months old. Three month old babies in Tenkai are actually already three decades old in Gekai terms), lying in front of the doorstep. 

A small gasp of astonishment escaped him. _Abandoning babies? Here in Tenkai?_Jiroushin shook his head and bent to pick the little one up. 

Settled in his arms, the baby stopped his crying and instead stared at him through purple eyes.

_Kanzeon-sama has to see this._

Running back to where he had come from, he nearly ran into his mistress. 

"Oi, Jiroushin." Said his mistress in her usual I'm-not-impressed tone of voice. "Stop scurrying about like a scared rabbit. It's too early in the morning to gain a headache by watching you-" 

Jiroushin thought the little being in his arms was worth interrupting his mistress's complaint. "Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama!" 

Kanzeon frowned. "What?" 

He gestured to the bundle in his arms. The goddess looked down and raised an eyebrow. 

"…what is that?" 

"A baby, Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama!" 

"I know it's a baby. I mean what's it doing here?" 

"…uh…" Jiroushin proceeded to explain how he'd found the little baby, half the time keeping an eye on the child. Somehow, Jiroushin could have sworn the baby was _glaring _at his mistress who continued looking rather disdainfully back at it . 

"So, I just picked it up and came to tell yo-" Jiroushin's eyes widened in horror to see his mistress pick the baby up by the ankles and inspect it with a wrinkled nose.

"Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama! That's not the way to carry a baby-"

The child suddenly jerked and out came a vaguely off-yellow liquid that splashed RIGHT on to Kanzeon's dress.

Were he not suddenly imagining his mistress drowning the wretched child in the lotus pond and was busily and very apologetically snatching the baby away, Jiroushin would have noticed a rather self-satisfied expression on the babe. 

Kanzeon on the other hand, instead of screeching for the baby to be thrown to Gekai (literally), quirked an eyebrow at the smug expression that baby was giving her. SHE had noticed the self-satisfied expression.

And smirked.

"He's a bold one, I'll grant him that." Kanzeon's smirk practically wrote the word "Mischief" in bright green neon letters. It quickly disappeared as she mused out loud for the benefit of her servant who was beginning to resemble a hungry goldfish the way his lower jaw was going up and down. 

"If anyone asks, I'll have acquired a sudden nephew. No need for any other explanation. And since it was left on my doorstep, it makes no difference to anyone since I doubt if anyone will miss it." Kanzeon's smirk re-emerged as she looked at the now-sleeping baby. "Such deep purple eyes… it will certainly be interesting having him around." 

She then glanced at her ruined robes and snapped some instructions. "Jiroushin! Shut that gaping jaw and give that wretched baby some milk." 

She started to sashay away. 

"K, Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama!!" 

She glanced back. "What?" 

Poor old Jiroushin's mind was running in little circles. What do you MEAN, he won't be missed?! We can't just take this child in! It's just NOT DONE! You're Kanzeon Bosatsu, Goddess of Mercy! Immortals aren't supposed to adopt children! And besides, how can you even THINK of raising a child when you can't even take care of a cactus?! Not to mention that we need to take this child to someone, someone who can locate it's parents and find out where it came from and, and and…

Well, that was what he_wanted _to say.

"…what will be the child's name?" 

Jiroushin later mused that Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama seemed to have a variety of smirks. ALL with very different meanings and NONE of them good for anyone's health. He looked at the child in slight wonder and hoped that this kid was as tough as he presented himself to be. With an aunt like his mistress, he would need more skills other than dribbling vomit on her dress.

From there on, the very person that had ended their unending boredom for some centuries also left behind a tale of friendship and corruption that was so twisted and weaved, it'd become one of the greatest untold stories in Tenkai.

The story of Konzen Douji, Seiten Taisei Son Goku, Field Marshall Tenpou Gensui and General Kenren Taisho.

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The old servant walked to the lotus pond. There, Kanzeon sat on her throne, her eyes on an open newspaper. 

"Any news on the Sanzo-ikkou, Kanzeon-sama?" 

Passively turning a page, Kanzeon lazily replied. "My nephew is currently unconscious while his companions worry themselves sick because of a deadly poison that has entered his spinal cord that could kill him." 

"…" 

Kanzeon smirked at Jiroushin's silence as she removed the newspaper from her view. 

Jiroushin felt a small tug of worry at his heart. Even if Kanzeon-sama had been the one to take the child in, Jiroushin had often times played babysitter for Konzen-sama. He'd also been Konzen's tutor (much to his chagrin since the child had developed a knack for glowering that often rivaled with his aunt's smirks. ALL with different meanings…) 

It stood to reason that Jiroushin always felt a small twinge of concern for the well being of Genjo Sanzo. Nevertheless, he wasn't the one who determined whether Sanzo lived or died. So, Jiroushin reasoned, there was no good worrying too much. 

He turned to go when a sudden thought struck him.

"Kanzeon-sama?" 

"Mm?" 

"Do you remember what arrived 500- no, _more _than 500 years ago?" 

Kanzeon raised an eyebrow. "Of course." 

"…did you _know_Konzen-sama would be needed in more ways than we can count?" 

Kanzeon kept her gaze on one of the pink lotuses on the water's surface. "I cannot see nor tell the definite future. You should know that by now." 

"But with all due respect, Kanzeon-sama… you can see glimpses of it, can't you?" 

Suddenly, Kanzeon sounded almost like the goddess she was supposed to be. The sarcasm Jiroushin had expected didn't come.

"Glimpses of the past, present and the future. I saw strong spirits and iron determination. I saw reluctance and grudging respect… I saw camaraderie and bonds that could never be severed by time, by sorrow or by death. In fact..." Her eyes flickered once with emotion. 

"I still see them."

Vague words that seemed to sound like answers but never really answered the questions. That was usually what Kanzeon-sama did. She planted even more questions in your head but the answers would soon follow if you cared to seek it. Most never did. Jiroushin realized he would never truly find out if she knew. But he believed she had. 

She seemed to shake out of it and frowned at her servant. "That never happened, Jiroushin." 

He was getting pretty good at what had never happened. "What did?" 

She smirked. "Good." Picking up her newspaper, she heard Jiroushin turn to go and suddenly stop. 

"Kanzeon-sama….?" 

Sigh. "What?" 

"…how did you name Konzen-sama?" 

"... You're certainly full of questions today, Jiroushin." Commented Kanzeon as she got up, folding her newspaper. Walking to the exit of the room, she stopped by the door.

"Take away the "a" from my name and put the "o" in its place." Replied Kanzeon as she went off.

"I thought my nephew's name should match my own."

Jiroushin watched her go then walked closer to the pond and looked. In the clear waters, he could see the golden hair that had rather surprised both of them when it'd started to grow properly. The same gold strands that Konzen-sama insisted he didn't want to cut and he'd damn well chew off anyone's fingers if they dared to snip it. He saw Sanzo's eyes move involuntarily as if in a dream. 

A memory suddenly dug itself out. 

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_A scream pierced the night silence of Tenkai and the serenity of Kanzeon Bosatsu's palace. _

_THUMP!_

_Jiroushin got up from the floor and clumsily wondered who was being assassinated. Then, his brain jumpstarted as he replayed the scream. Only one person could be as loud as Kanzeon-sama. _

_His feet thumped against the corridor to Konzen-sama's room. Screeching to a halt past the potted plant in front of Konzen-sama's room, he opened the door, about to ask what was wrong._

_Only to feel his jaw drop open when he saw the winner of the "Find-Out-What's-Wrong-With-Konzen-sama" race. _

_"What happened?" asked Kanzeon smoothly. _

_"Blood... there was blood everywhere... A man... a man with brown hair and a braid... he stood in front of me... he protected me... then..."Konzen grit his teeth and sweat gleamed on his face. _

_"He fell."_

_There was silence as Kanzeon let her nephew collect himself. _

_"...it was my fault. My fault that he died."_

_Jiroushin saw Kanzeon hesitate for an instant. _

_"Baka. Do you not think that the man wanted you alive? Otherwise, why else would he stand in the way of Death for you?" She ruffled Konzen's hair. _

_"Should someone die for you, live. For their sake and for your own. Now," Kanzeon got up. __"Stop waking me up in the middle of the night and go back to sleep." _

_Konzen watched his aunt go and frowned as he got back under the covers. _

_Outside, Kanzeon glanced at Jiroushin who seemed to be growing a very annoying knowing smile on his face. _

_"You saw _**nothing**_, Jiroushin. NOTHING."_

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Naturally, under Kanzeon's instructions, Jiroushin forgot what happened that night. And curiously enough, Konzen had no nightmares since that night. At least... not for 500 years. 

Jiroushin saw the pale fingers twitch beneath Sanzo's blanket and he saw the monk's eyelids begin to open like a budding flower in spring. He smiled as he turned away, not needing to hear the exclamations of relief from the monk's comrades to know that Sanzo would be sure to recover.

Konzen-sama had always been tough.

Satisfied, Jiroushin turned to oblige his mistress's call to play chess with her.

**The End.**

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A/N: Oh, come on. Konzen HAD to be a kid sometime, right? And kids have nightmares sometimes! *sweatdrop*

I don't really know just what the whole point of this story was. I just thought that Kanzeon Bosatsu isn't what she is. She may seem self-centered and all she ever cares about seems to be having fun and relieving boredom. But that all just might be a facade, a mask. Just like the Sanzo-ikkou, she does care. Somewhere underneath that whole self praising, cold hearted exterior, she's got to have a soft spot for her nephew. 

Jiroushin seems to be the only servant/assistant/chess partner she has so I figured poor old Jirou-san might have had to tutor young Konzen. After all, you don't expect Kanzeon to do it, do you? ~_^


End file.
